SARLL: IT WAS JUST THE LAST TOUCH THAT AVOIDED US

A hugely frustrated Darren Sarll reflected on a First Round exit from the FA Cup on Saturday after Boro came up just short at Vale Park.

Stevenage put Port Vale under pressure right until the final whistle but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

“I am one of those ‘you get what you deserve type people’ but on chances, it was quite frightening. It was very one sided, I am just very disappointed for the players and the supporters because largely our play deserved better productivity around their penalty box.

“It was the same first half when we were putting set pieces into the box, I just thought ‘it is going to happen. We are getting there; we are knocking on the door so much, so often, someone is going to have to answer it eventually.’

“We have had a lot of ifs, buts and maybes. I though defensively we were very solid, I don’t think they really troubled us. I felt quite comfortable in terms of our position on the pitch and our possession.

“It was just conversion. That is why centre forwards get the most money isn’t it?”

Despite the defeat, Sarll was pleased with the performance and the way his young side are developing.

“I said to the players, the one positive is that we are building something - you can see that.

“I said I haven’t seen them before be that relentless to go for that goal. We are still building, we are a very young side with lots of young players, lots of energy, lots of effort, lots of good football and some well-rehearsed tactical situations from our set pieces. It was just the last touch that avoided us today.”